Chelsea hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge, and within half an hour the rot had begun. In the 27th minute, a short corner sparked chaos in the Barcelona box, and under pressure, Jules Koundé turned the ball into his own net. The Blues led 1–0.
Moments before the break, Barcelona’s hopes suffered a further blow. Captain Ronald Araújo was shown a second yellow and then a red card after a foul on Marc Cucurella, forcing Barça down to ten men.
After half-time there was no comeback for the blaugranas. Instead, Chelsea ramped up the pressure. A brilliant solo run from young Brazilian Estêvão ended with a composed finish, giving the hosts a 2–0 lead. And in the 75th minute, a slick build-up involving Enzo Fernández ended with Liam Delap tapping in, a goal confirmed by VAR despite initial offside concerns. 3–0.
After that, Chelsea managed the tempo, kept Barcelona pinned back, and saw out the night with discipline and authority. The Stamford Bridge erupted in approval, this was more than a win. It was a statement.
If you were watching with eyes on progression or trying to gauge who’s serious this season, Chelsea just made their intentions clear.
Written by Pejuola Ransome
INMR FOOTBALL 
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